Niwot Mountain–Red Rock Lake, 5 sights is a 9.7-mile out-and-back near Ward, CO. The route passes Brainard Lake and Red Rock Lake before reaching Niwot Mountain at the turnaround, 4.9 miles in. It climbs 1,783 ft, with sections as steep as 16% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 56/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi10,046 – 11,474 ft · steepest grade: 16%10.2 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Brainard Lake O/l 40.07762, -105.57058
Nearest town Ward, CO
Directions
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Niwot Mountain–Red Rock Lake, 5 sights
9.7 mi · ▲ 1,783 ft · 4 hr 7 min
Elevation 10,047–11,472 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Brainard Lake O/l · 40.07762, -105.57058
Weather Sep 4: Rain, high 70°F / low 48° · precip 24% · wind 12 mph · sunrise 6:34 AM · sunset 7:31 PM
Dogs allowed on leash · Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Brainard Lake O/l, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading W.
- 50 ftPass Brainard Lake.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Brainard Lake Road, heading NW.
- 250 ftSharp right, heading NE.
- 200 ftSharp left onto Summer Snowshoe, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading N.
- 0.7 miBear right onto Waldrop Trail, heading E.
- 0.8 miPass Red Rock Lake.
- 150 ftBear left, heading E.
- 0.7 miTurn right onto Sourdough Trail, heading S.
- 300 ftBear left onto Left Hand Reservoir Road, heading E.
- 1.2 miTurn left onto Niwot Mountain, heading SW.
- 1.2 miReach Niwot Mountain, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.1 miTurn right onto Left Hand Reservoir Road, heading W.
- 1.2 miBear right, heading SE.
- 250 ftTurn left onto Waldrop Trail, heading N.
- 0.7 miBear left, heading W.
- 0.8 miBear left onto Summer Snowshoe, heading W.
- 0.7 miBear right, heading W.
- 0.2 miSharp right, heading W.
- 200 ftSharp left onto Brainard Lake Road, heading W.
- 450 ftBear right onto Brainard Lake O/l, heading S.
- 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
99% dirt1% paved
Weather
RainTemperature 70°F48°
Precip24%Wind12 mphUV8Humidity47%
Rained 0.1″ 5 days ago
Hourly temperatureRain chance
70°45°
Sunrise 6:34 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:31 PM
Sat
68°48°
Sun
72°51°
52%
Mon
65°48°
40%
Tue
68°44°
29%
Wed
69°46°
35%
Thu
70°47°
40%
Good to know
- Dogs allowed on leash
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Brainard Lake O/l Trailhead
- Brainard Lake–Brainard Lake Cutoff Trail Loop, 4 sights 1.7 mi · ▲ 198 ft
- Long Lake–Brainard Lake, 3 lakes 2.1 mi · ▲ 194 ft
- Long Lake–Brainard Lake Loop, 7 sights 2.2 mi · ▲ 230 ft
- Red Rock Lake–Brainard Lake, 3 lakes 4 mi · ▲ 285 ft
- Blue Lake–Mitchell Lake, 7 sights 6.5 mi · ▲ 1,029 ft
- Isabelle Glacier–Lake Isabelle, 7 sights 10.2 mi · ▲ 1,932 ft
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